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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27853994">Daybreak. Angels.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/anibrivity/pseuds/anibrivity'>anibrivity</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sieged Elysium AU [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Angst, Canon Continuation, Celebrations, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Headcanon, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Post-Canon, Trauma, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Anniversary, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:02:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,547</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27853994</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/anibrivity/pseuds/anibrivity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>- ORIGIN -<br/>Pneuma reflects on her new enemy alongside an unexpected friend.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sieged Elysium AU [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1884208</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Daybreak. Angels.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Welcome ~ This fanfiction is two things:<br/>(1) It is a celebration of the third anniversary of Xenoblade Chronicles 2.<br/>(2) It is a small look into the origin story of my currently running XB crossover AU - Sieged Elysium</p><p>I love Xenoblade Chronicles 2 with all of my heart, and this AU similarly means the whole world to me. As a celebration of both, and to keep my flame as an author ignited, I wanted to give this to you all today.</p><p>Here's a quick preface: You do not need to have read Sieged Elysium to enjoy this on its own merits, and however while it is highly recommended that you do, this fic can be considered somewhat as a second/alternative starting point to the AU itself, so I hope you'll enjoy no matter if you're new or returning.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> - Elysium, 31XX - </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> - Three years after ‘The First Attack’ -  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> “The sun’s rising…”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Daybreak again, huh? Wonder when the last time I slept was. Not that it matters. That’s impossible for me now.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>I found myself sitting high atop an Ardainian skyscraper today, one of the still standing ones, crying silently out to the warmth of the rising sun. These were seen as prestigious hallmarks of human progress ever since the great expansion of Elysium, and this particular one used to be a commercial building of sorts, though recently it’s been repurposed by the two of us for something Elysium is in dire need of, now: Ether Purification. </p><p>The sheer volume of violent battles that have taken place the past three years have caused a lot of the Ether in the soils, grounds, and bodies of water to become<em> terrifyingly </em> contaminated. It’s bad enough now that Gormott is completely unlivable for people and creature alike, that area being the keeper of the densest of our plant life and river systems. So much of the toxic material from the Artifices we destroy gets soaked directly into nature, and that means it gets into water. Water people need to survive. And the rivers of Gormott spread all around the continent. I can’t afford to have <em> any </em> of it remain as compromised as it is right now. Enough of the population has been lost to my incompetence. I don’t know what I’ll do if I can’t manage to fix the towering death rate, and soon. It won’t matter for shit how many machines I tear apart if we lose everyone anyway, because they can’t live in this atmosphere.</p><p> </p><p><em> That’s why it’s impossible. </em> </p><p> </p><p>Exhausted, I let my back fall onto the side of the penthouse, looking with hazily regard through my bangs at the orange orb creeping back into my world. If there were anytime, anytime at <em> all </em>, where I’d wish for a sign from something far away...It’s now. </p><p>Because it hasn’t stopped. And worse, it hasn’t felt like they’ve been waning. I don’t know how long they plan to continue attacking. I don’t know why they want to. I don’t even know who they are. I just know that I want them to stop. It’s been three years already, since the day I was too weak to see this astronomical atrocity coming. Must it be five? Ten? Fifty?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Could it be even longer than that?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>I wish I could get an answer. Maybe the distant star, if it gave a shit, would, had it the ability to speak. If I knew how long I’d have to go through this, if I could see an end in sight, if I weren’t stuck right now, I might just be able to push myself hard enough.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Hehe…Hah…” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Why’s that so funny? I’m pathetic. I’m desperate. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Hmph…” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> That’s right. It’s all my fault anyway. </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> “F-Father…”  </em>I curl inside myself. The morning breeze is freezing, but I hardly notice. The chills of my thoughts are more frigid than any element could dream of being.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He can’t answer me. He doesn’t exist anymore. It’s a waste of time to try. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “why… am I so weak…”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>I can cut down as many as they assault us with, and still make no progress. It begs to me the question of just what any of this is for. Are they after Elysium? Me?  Why does it feel so random when and <em> where </em> they choose to strike. How come I know nothing of who means me such suffering, even after this long. It’s not like mechs have feelings. I know somebody’s behind this. It’s so unfair not to know. But I’m sure fair play was never on the table.</p><p> </p><p><em> I just want to be strong enough.<br/></em> <b> <em>I just want to be strong enough.</em> </b> <em>  <br/></em> <em> I just…  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “r...rex…”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Hysterical. I’m all alone. Isn’t that awful? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “aha...hahahahaa...aah…” </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> “There you are. I come with news today.”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> “Wha-” </em> </p><p> </p><p>Snatching me out of my own mind was a stoic, robotic voice. It was one of the only voices in this life I lived now that I’d consider familiar, in any regard.  I couldn’t see the owner all that well through my bangs, but I knew who was speaking before I pushed them out of my sight to confirm.</p><p>There she was, with a wild fall of light, almost pure aqua-blue hair, kept tame only by the helm-piece fitted overtop of her forehead. </p><p>Levitating over the edge of the building, a blank look cast directly on me, her body was bejeweled, nearly head to toe, in violet armaments. They looked like insect wings, and I always thought it was kind of freaky, honestly. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> I can’t think straight enough to know what you want. I’ll let you do the talking for now. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “This should be most relieving for you.”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>She descended gently onto the platform, her steps laced with an awkward amount of...well, consideration was the only way I could describe it. She walked toward me in such a manner that I was concerned that she was worried approaching me too quickly would freak me out or something. I couldn’t tell if she was making an effort to be friendly, or if I was just seeing shit. I wouldn’t put it past myself. It happens a lot. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I have successfully completed an analysis on the flow of extraplanetary Ether relative to Earth.” </em>
</p><p><em> “And?” </em>I tried to shake away the tired in my eyes, not that I think she cared. But she did go out of her way of this. </p><p> </p><p>Before continuing her announcement, she dispelled the armaments cast all along her body. I could gather from the gesture that she probably meant to stay awhile. And of course, I was definitively proven right when she decided to lean herself onto the penthouse wall right beside me, folding her arms and crossing one leg over the other. She spoke further, without eye contact.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “The probability of an absence of any Artifices to engage, for at least the next few days, is quite high.”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>It was then she gave me her eyes softly, turning her head to look down toward me. I’ve always admired her particular luster of red, glowing with a nebulous decadence, rather than a pointed passion. Her eyes were crimson, but not like the lambent glow of a fireplace. It was more like blood. Blood from a live, beating heart. A sharp contrast to how much the allure of the woman in front of me was the sheer amount of disconnect from the living world that she seemed naturally attuned. </p><p>In all my years, I’ve never met a Blade quite like her. She was full of mystery, peculiarities, and was exceedingly powerful. Even more so, than perhaps anything else I’ve witnessed, <em> right now, something was wrong, and always has been with her.  </em></p><p>The simple fact of that matter being: KOS-MOS <em> … you shouldn’t exist at all. </em></p><p> </p><p>A phenomena occurred a good number of years ago. Elysium was once sprawling with creatures, people, Nopon, and Blade alike. But one day, something happened. It was something that was impossible for me to predict, or even comprehend. Even more concerning was that it didn’t happen to me. </p><p>All of them . . . Every single Blade, they collapsed into their Core Crystals. All save for me, and that’s probably because I’m not your conventional Blade. I wasn’t supposed to awaken as one in the first place.</p><p>I haven’t done much digging about it, but my assumption was always that something far-flung may have cut the communication, the ‘link,’  between the Core Crystals and The Conduit, the otherworldly treasure that powered them all. It may have even been The Conduit itself.</p><p>Yet, here KOS-MOS was, in all her glory, like nothing ever transpired at all. I’ve asked her about it before. The most I’ve gotten for my concerns were <em> ‘I’m sorry, that information is strictly confidential.’  </em></p><p>I’m sure I’ll never get an answer from her about it. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Quite high’, huh? … So you mean it’s not a hundred percent.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “The possibility is low enough that we needn’t worry about lowering our guard for a while.” </em>
</p><p><em> “ </em> <b> <em>No</em> </b> <em> . You’re crazy.” </em> I choked something back. Wasn’t sure what. But I knew the mere thought of me lowering my guard to those fiends from outer space, on any day, was enough to get every hair on me standing at end. I couldn’t chance it. Not for a second. <em> “E-Even if you are right… It’s not like we can just stop doing things. We’ve still got tonnes of Ether that need to be cleansed in the water barrels we stockpiled. You and I are the only ones that can do that.”  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Correct. I am certain, though,  that even you would agree it’s preferable to fighting.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “KOS-MOS . . . don’t patronize me.”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Silence prevailed for a second or two. Almost long enough to send me back to stewing in my own thoughts. That was until I heard her moan, and...<em> pout? </em> I shouldn’t be so taken back by some sounds, but KOS-MOS was the type to never waste breath. Everything she said was direct. Lashing so, sometimes.</p><p> </p><p><em> “Hmph…” </em>  and then she sat down. Not exactly right next to me, but again, it was the odd gesture itself that made it all the more perplexing, not the intensity, or even deliberacy. Just the fact that she even <em> did it. </em> </p><p><em> “n-nmph…” </em> I feel myself slipping back into silence, and brooding, scolding myself internally for being rude. I’ve fought with her for three years now. The least I could do is thank her for trying to make things a little easier. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> I’m so cynical. I thought I got over this. I was supposed to have--  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Are you unwell?”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Once again, the shock treatment of her softening voice pierced through the haze of my self loathing.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p><em> “Is...that a joke?” </em> </p><p>
  <em> “No.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Then… ngh, fine, what about this: how’re you holdin’ up?”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I am functioning with minimal inhibition. My condition is sound.”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “S-Sure… That isn’t really what I mean though.”  </em>
</p><p>She tilted her head, facing me with a gentle look. I noticed the glow of the sun honeying adrift the bloody crimsons of her irises. <em> “It’d be appreciated if you felt inclined to clarify.”  </em></p><p><em> “Well… I-I... “ </em>  I leaned in, wanting to show her I was genuine. <em> “D-Don’t you feel anything? Does none of this...get to you?”  </em></p><p>
  <em> “I was assigned to this planet to carry out an objective. That is all. My task carries with it no emotional toll, and if it did, I am… lacking in the capacity to understand it.”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Is that really true? You’re telling me that you don’t have feelings at all?”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “...”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “...?”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Is it difficult for you, Pneuma?”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “H-Huh? Where’d this come from? I asked you something.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>She shifted closer, just a bit. It caused me to flinch a little. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Your answer could determine mine.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “U-Uh…”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> These scars are still on my legs. I guess I didn’t care enough to heal them properly.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Well, yeah, of course it’s hard. Everything is… I don’t have anyone anymore, KOS-MOS. I’ve been at this by myself.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “... Understood.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “H-Huh…” Shit. I think I said something wrong, there, “W-Wait, n-no -- I didn’t mean that you aren’t helping. You’ve been invaluable, KOS-MOS. I could never take you for granted. I just…”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Do not worry.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “H-Huh?”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> That’s… not the look I was expecting. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I can reasonably infer that you mean to say you have lost those close to you, leaving you absent of an emotional support-network. I am merely battle, and tactical assistance.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “N-No...No, no, no! KOS-MOS, don’t say that stuff.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Was there something wrong with what I said?” </em>
</p><p><em> “Yes. Absolutely.” </em> I shift to sitting on my knees, turning in her direction fully. <em> “I mean, you’ve helped me so much already. Without you… I don’t think I could have lasted long enough against all of those machines. And they keep coming. Elysium...it’d be done for without you.” </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Am I really so much of a benefit to you?”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Of course you are. Y-You even help me cleanse the Ether… I’m sure the people who sent you here on orders never specified that you had to support the planet itself.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> “H-Huh…”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Did she just...choke a breath?  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I’m...I’m right, aren’t I?”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “...Yes.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I knew it… You’re doing this of your own accord.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Is there...a problem with that?”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “No way! It’d be...way too much on my own.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> “Correct. With little to no assistance, your chances of purifying enough atmospheric Ether to stabilize and circulate through the entirety of Elysium would be far, </em> <b> <em>far</em> </b> <em> less than what I would deem acceptable.” </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Is… that your way of saying you... felt bad? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I’m guessing you didn’t want to see that happen…”  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>She tucked herself into her legs, almost too quickly. There was definitely a change of tone in her voice that came with the sudden show of vulnerability.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “It is impossible...for me to prevent every casualty in a war. I was built to be highly effective at neutralizing direct threats… but the danger to the inhabitants of this world is far more nuanced than that.” </em>
</p><p><em> “It won’t matter how many we beat, if everyone dies from the climate, or the contaminated air...or starvation…”  </em>I curl my fingers overtop of my lap, seething on the inside. After crying through the entire sunrise, I wasn’t sure I had any more tears for at least most of the day.</p><p>
  <em> “Precisely… When faced with the dilemma we shoulder now, I had to make the choice of what to prioritize. I determined that simply being idle, and allowing all life to perish on Earth was not…” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “...KOS-MOS?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “... I decided I did not want that.”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> Oh, KOS-MOS… you </em> <b> <em>do</em> </b> <em> have a heart. And even you’ve got doubts about yourself. Even you wonder if you can ever truly save an entire world… Don’t worry. I’m right there with you. </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Are you defying your orders to help me?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Not at all. I am, however, prolonging seeing them through, in a way.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “...Will your answer be the same then? If I ask you why you came here again?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>She looked away, staring at the horizon.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I cannot tell you that. I apologize.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I see…”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Rest assured, my objective is nothing that will interfere with yours.”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>For a little while, the silence returns. KOS-MOS becomes fixated on the skyline of the horizon, while I mellow about on the inside. I thought I might end the conversation there...but something within me flickered. A desire. Some small twinge of life in my soul, begging me to reach out to her again. I hadn’t felt this in so long. It wasn’t long before I realized it was yearning.</p><p>Faster than I could stop myself, I scuttled over to her side. She was surprised at the suddinty, and honestly so was I, but she didn’t resist the small gesture of embrace I offered her, nevertheless. I wrapped an arm around her, and plopped my head right atop her shoulder.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p><em> “Can you tell me this, then: D’ya think we ever </em> <b> <em>could</em> </b> <em> become close enough to share secrets? It has been three years, you know.” </em></p><p> </p><p>She let go of her legs, becoming a little more relaxed, and taking her eyes away from the glow of the horizon. She let a few seconds pass before answering me. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “...I will continue supporting you, Pneuma.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
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